5.29.2011

These things happened at the American Idol finale

** I developed a crush on Beyoncé during her performance and kept thinking, "She's so...PRETTY..." When Ryan Seacrest gave a little recap and mentioned Beyoncé, I said outloud, "Hell yeah!" Matthew and I both paused for two seconds and looked at each other. Then he said, "You just did that."

Note: mom and dad, if Neill's crush on Tina Turner wanes, you might show him a Beyoncé video on the iPad. He should be good for another year or so of hitting replay.

** The guy on the Segway who was rolling very slowly up the aisle in the theater, smiling. He looked really happy. When he passed our row, I saw that his Segway had GOLD RIMS. Yes.

** During commercial breaks, when the judges were getting powdered in their chairs and Ryan Seacrest was getting powdered backstage, another host came out to entertain the audience - Cory, who was the intermission host on the tour a few years.

Once I was walking Matthew through the arena and the Pop Tart mascot snuck up behind him. Cory drew attention to this by saying into his mic, "Hey, it's Jess's boyfriend!" and the cameras caught it so what people saw on the giant LED screens was Matthew scurrying towards a seat, being chased by a life-sized Pop Tart.

** I thought I'd get misty-eyed when Bono and the Edge were onstage since it would be the first time I've ever seen my teenage idols play live. I liked their song but think the whole Spiderman gimmick threw off my emotions a bit, though I did still think, "That man (Bono) will always have a piece of my heart."

** Ron Jeremy was sitting a few rows up from us. I don't know how I feel about this, if I feel anything, but somehow it seems worth mentioning.

** At the party that night I saw lots of people for whom it's been a long time and bear hugs ensued. With Gus - dancer, homie, and huge Neill Roncker fan - there was also squealing. I cracked up with former Idols going back to 2006 and made a power fist when someone I didn't know said he was also from Ohio. Good night.